Five star hotel for Perth's Old Treasury

THE Western Australian state government has bowed to pressure and announced new plans to redevelop Perth's Old Treasury building in the CBD into a new five star hotel complex.

The WA government has shelved a 2005 proposal for a standalone nine-level, 15,000-17,000 sqm office complex WA Premier Alan Carpenter said yesterday.

Carpenter who visited the site has called for proposals to redevelop the Old Treasury buildings into a five star hotel and office complex.

The state government has also joined the City of Perth in a joint planning and feasibility study for the Perth CBD heritage precinct bounded by St Georges Terrace, Barrack Street, Hay Street, and Pier Street.

“We will seek expressions of interest from the private sector to assist with the commencement for the regeneration of this heritage precinct redevelopment, including the construction of a new building, on the Old Treasury Buildings site.

“While restoration of the buildings will be a key aspect of the project, we would also like to see plans that integrate the old structure with the new development,” he added.

Carpenter said there had been interest from major international hotel operators for the site, which was generated by the current high hotel occupancy rate and the continuing growth in the tourism and business market in Perth.

The Premier added that plans could also include mixed uses such as retail outlets and encouraging public access to this heritage site.

WA Housing and Works Minister Michelle Roberts said a 2005 proposal for a nine-level, 15,000 sqm office complex at the Old Treasury buildings site was no longer being pursued.

“That proposal was quite feasible in its own right but rather than concentrate on the Old Treasury buildings site in isolation, this new approach includes them as part of a broader heritage precinct. It encompasses a number of historic buildings in the area, including the Supreme Court Buildings, Government House and Ballroom, Council House, St George’s Cathedral, St Georges Hall and the Deanery.

“A number of key stakeholders, including the City of Perth, the Perth Diocesan Trustees and the Public Trust Office, support this new approach,” Roberts said.

In addition, the state government and the City of Perth will undertake a study to investigate the possibility of acquiring and then demolishing the Law Chambers Building and the Public Trustees Building to create a new public square, and relocating the City of Perth library in the Land Titles building.

The Expressions of Interest process is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Yesterday’s announcement will see the state government reinstate its original intentions for the site. In 1999, the Court government entered into negotiations with the Fini Group and Hawaiian Investments to redevelop the property into a luxury hotel, however that was later abandoned.

And in July last year, the plans to redevelop the Old Treasury Building come under renewed attack by the Council of the City of Perth.

City of Perth’s Special Council Meeting concluded that state government’s office complex redevelopment proposal was “an over-development of the site.

“It dominates the place of the Perth Town Hall and Foundation Park; and it clashes with the adjacent historical buildings that make up the heart of Perth’s Heritage Precinct.

“Advise the Department of Housing and Works that the requirement to provide 17,000 sqm of government office space in the proposed development is an excessive and unrealistic requirement that cannot be achieved without compromising the integrity of the surrounding heritage buildings,” the Special Council concluded.

The Old Treasury building has been vacant since 1995, when the State Taxation Office moved out.

Australian Property Journal